Results 6,601-6,620 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together. My Department manages the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages and assists the community's support for older people by means of a community-based grant scheme to improve the security of people over 65 years of age. The Scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department. The following table...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The current landfill levy rate is €50 per tonne for each tonne of waste disposed of at landfill facilities, with the exception of certain exempted categories of waste. This rate will increase to €65 per tonne from 1 July 2012. The landfill levy is designed to encourage a shift away from landfill to waste management practices which are higher in the internationally accepted waste...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 to 159, inclusive, together. The Government decided in December 2011, based on the recommendations of an independent assessment, to establish a public water utility company, Irish Water, to take over the operational and capital delivery functions of local authorities in the water services area. Following further consideration as to whether Irish Water...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of a premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981 and 2003. The Department...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Section 43(2) of the Building Control Act 2007 specifies that a graduate of Dundalk Institute of Technology who has received from it in any year prior to 2005 a degree of Bachelor of Science in Building Surveying or in 2005 or any subsequent year an Honours degree of Bachelor of Science in Building Surveying shall be eligible, subject to having at least 2 years appropriate experience of...

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The scheme for Performance Related Awards for the Local Government Sector was suspended in 2009. No performance awards have been made since 2007. No other bonuses are paid to Local Authority employees. The chief executive officers/equivalents in agencies/bodies under the aegis of my Department do not receive bonus payments.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: My Department is responsible for a wide range of programmes, including in the areas of housing, water services, environmental protection, local government services, and community and rural development. These programmes are subject to ongoing and periodic review to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness in the achievement of policy objectives. In the management of these programmes,...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: In addition to the Ministerial staff employed on temporary contracts, there is one person employed on a contract basis in my Department (0.6 on a whole time equivalent basis - WTE). My Department collects quarterly data on the numbers employed in local authorities and State bodies under the aegis of my Department. The number of persons employed on a contract basis in the State bodies under...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: All appointments to State Agencies are made in accordance with the appropriate legislation governing appointments to each body and vacancies are filled as the need arises. The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2012, which was recently passed by the Oireachtas, will facilitate my Department's agency rationalisation programme, under which 21 agencies will be reduced to 11. The...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The information requested is outlined in the table below: Name of Board Board Members Remuneration An Bord Pleanála Dr. Mary Kelly - Chairperson PPC Rate €189,474(non-PPC Rate €180,000) Mr. Conall Boland – Deputy Chairperson PPC Rate €138,387(non PPC Rate €126,718) Ordinary Members Ms. Mary MacMahon PPC Rate €116,935 to€127,588(non PPC Rate €111,214 to...

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I was cleaning up the planning mess left by the Deputy's predecessors.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I was cleaning up another mess.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: We are winning anyway.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I begin by thanking Fianna Fáil for this gift of a Private Members' motion. Somebody should tell them that it is the role of the Opposition to oppose.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Parties do this by highlighting what they see as the shortcomings of incumbent Governments. Opposition parties do not normally raise issues for debate that draw attention, yet again, to the rampant evasion, corruption and duplicity that existed at the highest levels of their party.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: If I was a member of Fianna Fáil and I wanted to make this Government uncomfortable-----

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: -----I would steer well clear of planning. Fianna Fáil should probably also avoid debates on whether it is plausible that a Minister for Finance would not have a bank account, how a modestly paid Taoiseach can afford to own an island, if a win on the horses is enough to explain away Byzantine complexity in somebody's personal finances or the catalogue of decision making that characterised...

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Last night, Fianna Fáil Deputies tried once more, with the help of Sinn Féin, to create a smokescreen to deflect attention from their appalling record on planning. Deputy McGrath was a member of Fianna Fáil as well.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: With goldfish-like memories, they have already expunged the criticisms so damningly levelled at their party by the Mahon tribunal. The Government has not forgotten and will not forget.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Since the Mahon report was delivered in March, the Fianna Fáil Party has seized on the planning review, which was initiated when it was in office but was not followed through, as a means to deflect attention from the fact that during its time in government it rode roughshod over proper planning and sustainable development at local and national levels.